Brothers
by Fallentwice
Summary: Before the Apocalypse, before the Winchesters, before Earth. There was Heaven, there were angels. There were brothers.
1. Childhood

**Childhood**

Gabriel adored his older brothers. He knew he had plenty of older brothers and sisters. There was a whole level of Seraphs above him and his three older Cherub brothers, but they were distant. So he clung to Michael, Raphael, and Uriel whenever Father was busy.

"Michael, what's Father doing?" Gabriel would ask. Michael would roll his eyes and smirk to the others every time Gabriel asked (which was often), but then smile fondly down at him.

"Father is busy creating our brothers and sisters." Michael and Raphael would then go practice fighting against each other, both of them determined to become ultimate warriors of Heaven. Uriel was more interested in control than fighting. Gabriel would always watch Michael and Raphael in awe, and he knew he wanted to be as powerful as his brothers when he was bigger.

He would watch their wings, great and gold, bending and snapping and fluttering, great extensions of power and purity and grace. He would pull his light brown wings forward in shame, wonder why he was different. Was he not as good as his brothers? Why didn't he have their beautiful, shining wings?

Michael found him one day crying. Gabriel had been watching one of Michael and Raphael's practices and then flown off in a rush. He was hiding in a secluded corner, belonging to one of the Seraphs. Michael found him huddled underneath his wings, a few feathers around him.

"What is wrong, Little Brother? Why are you crying?" Michael approached Gabriel and touched him gently on the shoulder. Gabriel pulled away from his touch and sniffled, face still hidden behind his brown feathers.

"Father does not think I am powerful like you or Raphael or Uriel," he sniffed. He waited for a response but, hearing nothing, pulled one wing away to peek at Michael. His older brother's face had softened, and he extended his hand to Gabriel's shoulder again. Gabriel let it stay this time.

"Oh, Gabriel, this is not true. How could you say this?" Gabriel sat up, knees pulled to his chest, arms wrapped around them. His wings hung limply at his side.

"You three have beautiful golden wings. And the Seraphs have magnificent white wings. But I have horrible brown wings. He must not think I am special enough to have gold wings. He must not love me as much." Gabriel buried his head into his knees.

"Gabriel, do you really believe this?" Gabriel said nothing, but nodded his head without looking up. Michael then took his chin and forced Gabriel to look at him. "Listen to me. Your wings are more beautiful than any of ours because they are yours. They are special to you. None of us or the Seraphs have multicolored wings. But you… Your wings are brown, yes, but they have tips whiter than the Seraphs, and are marbled with the gold of our brothers and me. You should not think that Father does not love you because of your wings. Your wings symbolize a power we do not understand. Father loves you, and Brother… I love you." Michael pulled Gabriel in and hugged him, while Gabriel buried his head into Michael's chest. He pulled away, smiling.

"Thank you, Brother."

!


	2. Lucifer

**Lucifer**

Gabriel had two younger brothers and a younger sister. Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Gabriel, Jophiel, Selaphiel, and Zadakiel were the first of the Cherubim, and the most powerful. But they were still young, and still training. Jophiel and Zadakiel both trained as warriors with Michael and Raphael. Selaphiel was mentored by Uriel. Gabriel, however, wasn't like his siblings. He had begun training with Michael and found himself to be very good with a blade. He was clever, also, and sometimes beat Uriel with his strategies. Combining these skills allowed Gabriel to defeat Raphael almost every time they sparred. If it weren't for Michael's pure swordsmanship, he would have been defeated by Gabriel often as well. The younger ones were no match for him at all.

Then one day, their Father created Lucifer.

Lucifer was a lower level Cherub, but he was the most beautiful of them. None would argue it. They all loved Lucifer, their baby brother. Michael himself taught him to fight. But Lucifer adored Gabriel as much as Gabriel adored Michael. And Gabriel loved Lucifer just as much.

"Gabriel, where is our Father?" Lucifer would ask, and Gabriel would be reminded of himself. He would smile fondly and answer,

"Father is creating our younger siblings. He is also creating a new thing he calls Earth." Lucifer would look at Gabriel with wide, curious eyes.

"Can we visit Earth, Gabriel?" Gabriel would chuckle. Was he really like this not so long ago?

"Not yet, Little Brother. Father is not finished."

Lucifer once questioned Gabriel about his wings.

"Brother, why are your wings not gold?"

"I don't know, Lucifer. But it does not matter."

"I want wings like yours, Gabriel. Does Father not think I'm special?" Gabriel was a little shocked at how much Lucifer was like him.

"Of course he does. You are special to all of us, Lucifer." Lucifer grinned up at him.

"I want to be like you, Gabriel." Gabriel smiled down at his little brother, but he couldn't see why. He was so different than the others. He didn't… he didn't belong with his brothers and sisters. What had his Father planned for Gabriel? Why was he so different?

* * *

**So, just to destroy any who take Supernatural to heart, LUCIFER IS NOT AN ARCHANGEL. There are in fact seven archangels, and Lucifer is not one of them. The only ones actually stated by name are Michael and Gabriel. Raphael is a given, and Uriel is almost always one of them (even though he was basically disowned by the Vatican...). The other three vary.**

**This fic is mostly from my mind, but some of it is from actual mythologies and lore, and some will be from the show.**

**So there's that. Please keep reading!**


	3. Choices

**Choices**

"Go away, Lucifer," Michael said, "I'm busy."

"Aww, c'mon Michael. Take a break. The garrisons can wait a while. Let's do something fun!"

Gabriel watched with apprehension. Michael had become increasingly bitter towards Lucifer, and that worried Gabriel. He loved his brothers, but he would never be able to choose.

"No, Lucifer. The garrisons must be trained in the defense of Heaven," Michael grunted and turned back to the angels in front of him. The angels in front of the eldest Cherub were to be the leaders of the garrisons of Heaven. They held their black wings stiff at attention.

"Who's going to attack Heaven?! It's paradise, for Dad's sake!" Gabriel chuckled quietly. Lucifer really was something else.

"Gabriel! Take Lucifer away, _please_," Michael gritted out through his frustration. Gabriel walked over.

"Come on, Brother. Let's leave Michael to his training." To Michael he said, "He's right. You could use to spend a little time with us more often. Everyone needs rest, Brother."

"Yes, you are right. Thank you, Gabriel. But not right now." Michael's face softened momentarily for his little brother, then he turned back to the soldiers in front of him.

Gabriel led Lucifer away from the training grounds. He disliked the animosity between his brothers, and decided to try to explain a few things to Lucifer.

"Be patient with Michael. He has odd ways of showing affection."

"Nah," Lucifer replied. "He just doesn't like me." He acted nonchalant about it, but Gabriel could see hurt in his eyes. Lucifer wanted Michael's approval.

"That's not true, Lucifer. Of course Michael loves you. You're his brother."

"He loves you more than he loves all of us. And he loves that stupid sword of his even more! He used to like me, Gabriel. What changed? What did I do wrong?" he turned towards Gabriel, tears in his eyes. Gabriel wasn't sure what to say at first.

"You did nothing wrong, brother. You are perfect because our father created you. Michael does love you, even if he doesn't show it. We all love you Lucifer." Gabriel pulled his little brother into a tight hug. Lucifer backed away smiling.

"Thanks, Gabriel." Lucifer flew off to unknown regions, and Gabriel watched him go, wondering if what he'd said was true. He certainly loved his brothers. Michael and Lucifer were the most important things to him. But if his brothers didn't get along… It was plain to see that Michael did not in fact like Lucifer, maybe because Michael now had to fight for their father's attention. Whatever was happening, Gabriel didn't like it. Something was going down, and it wasn't going to be good.

* * *

**Just to clear up a few things, the sword referenced in this chapter is Michael's Flaming Sword with which he defends humanity. That might not be known so I thought I would explain.**


	4. Brothers

**Brothers**

"You have defied Father's orders _again_! If you continue this, Father will sentence you to damnation, Lucifer!" Michael was red-faced from yelling at the other Cherub.

"Maybe if you would open your eyes, Brother Dear, you would be able to see that Father doesn't care! As long as I don't hurt his precious humans, Father doesn't care. He doesn't care what any of us do!"

"We were not created to disobey, Lucifer!"

"Go suck an angel blade!" Gabriel was constantly astounded by Lucifer's creativity. Michael was taken aback at the comment, partially because he didn't understand, but more so because someone other than their father dared to give him orders.

Gabriel felt sick. He hated when his brothers fought, which had been happening more and more often. Selaphiel glanced away from the squabble and noticed Gabriel.

"Are you alright, Brother?" she asked. Gabriel said nothing, just stared ahead. He had missed part of the fight, though.

"You did what?!" Michael yelled at Lucifer, who had a smug smirk on his face.

"It was just a trick. It was of little consequence."

"You have gone against Father's orders and deceived the humans!" Lucifer's expression soured.

"Damn the humans! Damn them and damn you! How does Father expect me to love those poor excuses for creatures more than him?! I hate them! With the exception of maybe Gabriel, I hate all of you, as well!" Here Gabriel interrupted.

"Brother, how can you say this? You cannot truly hate them all."

"But I do, Gabriel," Lucifer said. "I do. You're the only one who is nice to me. You're the only one who calls me Brother. Only you, Gabriel. Of all the thousands of angels in Heaven, you are the only one who wants me." Michael sneered at Gabriel, whose face had softened in sympathy.

"You don't actually believe him, do you Brother? He is a deceiver, a trickster. He does not care about you."

"Shut up, Michael!"

"You shut up, Lucifer!"

"Both of you, shut up!" Gabriel yelled. Tears had formed in his eyes. He hated this. His brothers were his world, and seeing them fight constantly tore him apart. "Shut up! Just shut up!" Gabriel's voice rang out through Heaven. The entire Host had gone silent.

"Just stop it will you? Can't you see what this fighting is doing? I'm stuck in between you two and it's killing me! I hate this! Am I the only one in Heaven affected by this fighting? I love you both to Damnation, but please. Please. Just don't make me choose between you. Please." Gabriel's voice had dropped down to a whisper, but it resonated loudly. Michael and Lucifer both had stricken expressions.

"Gabriel-" they both said at the same time, then snarled at each other when they did.

"STOP IT!" Gabriel put all of his love into the words, and then he flew off, out of Heaven, the blast from his wings so powerful that Michael and Lucifer were blown into another realm of Heaven entirely.

Gabriel had left Heaven, and he never wanted to go back.


	5. Runaway

**Runaway**

Gabriel took a vessel on Earth and hid among humans. He didn't want his brothers to find him ever. The humans realized that Gabriel was more than human, so he fled. He needed to change his identity. He remembered that last fight that Michael and Lucifer had had.

_He is a deceiver, a trickster._

Gabriel grinned to himself. He remembered how Lucifer had been, before things had gotten really bad, fun loving and, well, free. That's how Gabriel wanted to be. He didn't want to be reminded of his past life at all. How he had been stiff and formal, just like Michael. Always taking Daddy's orders. So Gabriel made up his mind. He would be known simply as the Trickster. He would take orders from no one. He would deceive the humans often, for their creation had destroyed Gabriel's family. He would not love again.

Gabriel heard a loud ringing in his mind. Looking skyward, he saw a huge orange flame, plummeting towards the earth. He lowered his gaze to the plane where his true form resided. In the center of the ball of flame… oh, Dad. No, please no. In the center of the flame was Lucifer. And the flame itself… the flame was Lucifer's wings. His beautiful golden wings were burning off. Gabriel cried, for his most beloved brother had fallen, had been sentenced to damnation.

Gabriel could feel Michael's voice ring out in his head.

_Lucifer has fallen. The Cherubim have fallen from grace because of him. We will now be known as Archangels, to sever any connection to the traitor. Any who followed him will fall with Lucifer._ Quite a few more glowing balls rained upon the earth. Then Gabriel felt Michael's voice in his head. It was different though. Michael was addressing only him.

_Gabriel, where ever you are, please come home Brother. I miss you Brother. You are welcome back any time you choose to come._ Michael's voice went silent. Gabriel never acknowledged it. He did not want to be associated with Heaven ever again. They had betrayed him. Michael had betrayed him. He could never forgive him for that. Nor could he forgive Lucifer. His entire family had betrayed him. Family was a feeble thing. It broke easier than the weak minds of humans.

Loki turned his back on the life he had once known. He would never go back to it. Never.

* * *

**So Gabriel ran away. I actually cried when I wrote this.**

**If you would like me to continue it, please review. I know what I can do, but I want to know if it will be read. I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am! Thanks to all you readers, even if you don't review.**

**So **


	6. Absence

**Many thanks to monkeygirl77! I know that it was the only review, but it made my day when I read it. And I know that there are a few people that read my story and just don't review. Thanks anyway for reading!**

**This is the main story I am working on right now, but I only have up to chapter 8 actually written, so I'll try to get on chapter 9 asap.**

**This chapter doesn't actually have Gabriel in it (sorry!), it's more of a filler, but I wanted to put it in anyway. Now enough talk. Chapter 6!**

* * *

**Absence**

Michael missed Gabriel.

He would never admit it to Raphael or Uriel, but Michael missed his brother. Sometimes he would think back on what had happened, and wish he could change it. Change what he had unintentionally done. But he couldn't. Heaven just wasn't the same.

Their Father had left, and that had put Michael in charge, as all the Seraphs had gone with him. Lucifer fell, and numerous lesser angels had fallen with him. But what affected Michael the most was Gabriel, storming out. Gabriel had been the only one that Michael ever really talked to. He was the only one that got to see Michael's soft side. And now he had disappeared, all because of that damned Lucifer.

Michael growled at the thought of the disgraced angel. He had tried to help Lucifer, he really had. He had personally trained Lucifer, even. But then he had started disobeying Father. Michael couldn't see how Lucifer could have done that. It eventually got to where Michael couldn't stand his brother. But he never told Gabriel this. Gabriel adored Lucifer. Michael couldn't crush his little brother like that. He couldn't.

When things with Lucifer finally came to a boil, it was Gabriel who was the most affected. Michael and Lucifer hadn't even known what they were doing to their brother. After he left, they blamed each other and things only got worse. Lucifer fell. Father left, leaving Heaven in chaos. Being the eldest, the other angels all looked to Michael. He became their leader.

He would gladly give it all up. He wasn't happy. His family was broken. He never wanted to lead. He wanted that even less right now. Right now he wanted to talk to Gabriel, to apologize for what he'd done. He wanted things to be like when they were young, and things were right. But that could never happen, thanks to Lucifer.

In Michael's mind, Lucifer needed to pay. Falling wasn't enough. Lucifer needed to die. But that wouldn't happen for many millennia. Not until the end of Father's creation, Earth. The so called, "Apocalypse." It would be millions of years, ages, eons into the future. Nobody knew where or when, or even who the vessels would be. All that was known was, "as it is in Heaven, so it must be on Earth."

"Raphael," Michael said, summoning his brother.

"Yes, Brother?"

"I think it is time for us to stop waiting." Michael was tired of it. He would make things happen. He would do this for Father, for himself. For Gabriel.

* * *

**TA DA! Just thought I would throw that in to justify Michael's douchery.**

**Any who. If there is anything you would like to see in a chapter, I'm open for ideas. I intend to send Gabriel pretty much anywhere and everywhere, because there's just so much trickster mythology!**

**Alternately: if there is something you would like me to write as a oneshot or seperate fic, message me and I'll see what I can do.**

**Reviews are appreciated! Thanks!**


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